The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-23

OF here. Some OF the robbers wore false
boards, but the engineer says the one who
held him up was not disguised, and that
he would recognize him if he were to see
him again. A number of officers have
been in pursuit of the robbers to day, but
nothing has been heard from them yet.
REPORT FROM SAN ANTONIO.
SAN ANTONIO, June 1S.-One of the most
thorough and complished pieces of train
robbery almost ever perpetrated in this
part of Texas was that which occurred one
mile east of Flatonia, on the Sunset, be-
tween l and 2 a. m. to- day. The train
held up was the east bound passenger No.
10, which left this city at $3.50 last even
ing. The journey was without incident
until Flatonia was reached, which
is in Fayette county about ninety miles
from San Antonio. At this point seven
men boarded the train as passengers, and
as 1t pulled out, two of the men went
forward and climbing over the tender,
threw their pistols down on the engineer
and fireman and told the latter to do as
they were told, and they would not be
hurt. When few miles from
the station, the train was stopped
for business. Then the actual work of
the robbery began. Frank Falger, the
young express messenger for the Wells
Fargo d Cos. express seeing their move
ments threw away the keys to his safe and
no sooner had he done this than two
stalwart robbers confronted him with the
demand to open up. Falger hesitated and
told them he did not have the keys. They
dubbed him over the head, but he was
helpless, and they felled him to the
floor and cruelty split his ears
with a pocket knife. They then went
through the safe and secured about eight
thousand dollars belonging to Wells
Fargo company. While this was going
on the other robbers busted themselves
going through the passengers, sighting
no one, even robblng the news butcher.
One old gentleman, sleeping in his berth,
was awakened, and, reaching under his
pillow for his valuabes, was struck
senseless by pistol in the hands of a
robber. The robber then searched under
the pillow and found a neat roll of bills,
amounting to one thousand dollars, with
a watch of some dimensions, probably
worth $500 more. All the passengers
were gone through easily, as most of
them kindly got their valuables out, to
prevent any inconvenience to the robbers.
One young lady was struck on the head
for being slow. A Mr.. Hoenthal, of this
city, was relieved of $3.50 in cash. The
robbers were very cool and determined in
their work, and delayed the train more
than an hour. When they had finished
by, and galloped off. The train
| Ia L., ,Iats, l..
wounded express messenger and passen-
gers were given medical attention. Con-
ductor Lyon, in charge of the train, says
the captain of the gang had no mask, and
was called Dick by his companions. He
also describes their clothing and personal
appearance of the three who did the
work in the coaches, that there may be nc
trouble in identifying them when caught
Sheriffs and deputies are now out in al
directions, in hopes Of making capture
Railroad officials are of the opinion thai
the men engaged in the work here are the
same that did similar robbing near Aus
tin, and also in north Texas.
STILL ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
FLAToNIA, June 18.-The east-bount
Southern Pacific express train, due her'
at 1886 a. M, was robbed last night abou
one mile east of this place on the bridge
on Milany creek. From all that can b.
learned there were seven men in tn
gang, and, Judging from the manner il
which the work was performed, the.
were old hands in the business. l
is believed that, when the trail
pulled out from here, one of the robber
stationed here for that purpose, mounted
the blind end of the express car, ant
when the bridge was reached, crawle,
over the tender, covered the engineer, ant
ordered him to stop the train. This be
ing done, the rest of the gang who wer
concealed in the brush, emerged from
their hiding place and proceeded to rol
the express car. They ordered the mes
senger to open the safe, which he posi-
lively refused to do, saying that h
would die first The robbers beat hin
over the head most numerically with thei
pistols to make him upon up, but h
would not do it, and, seeing that thei
efforts were fruitless, they took wha
money they could get hold of-which wa
about $100--that was not in the safe
They proceeded to go through the trail
and rob the passengers. They got 81 LOO
from one man. They mad clean sweep
except the ladies. It is impossible to as
certain the exact amount of the haul. NJ
one here was aware of the robbery unit
the arrival of the west bound train, al
1920 a. m. As soon as the news was re
ceived, Constable Sloan of this place, ant
Hall, of Waldaer, with a small posse, wen
out to the scene of the. robbery, but
owing to the length of time tina
had elapsed, the robbers ne
doubt were many miles away. The poss'
returned about 8 O'Clock this morning, ant
reported that they had found where th'
robbers had tied their horses, and alst
where they had cut the fence on boti
sides of the railroad. The tracks seem Il
scatter in every direction, 80 that it is i'm
possible, without the aid of bloodhounds
to follow the trail. Sheriff Seapp arrived
from LaGrange about o'clock, and, will
a posse, is securing the county in ever,
direction.
The Rotten Egg Cases.